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A plan by the Victorian Government to allow teachers four non-teaching days from next year has come under fire from the state’s principals who say it may cause students’ learning to suffer.
From Term 1 2018 the Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2017 introduces professional practice days for more than 40,000 teachers who will be released from their scheduled duties, including teaching, to plan lessons, mark students' work and develop the curriculum.
The timing and focus of the professional practice days will be nominated by each teacher and agreed in consultation with the principal.
However, the Australian Principals Federation (APF) has warned that the plan will lead to 160,000 lost teaching days a year and students' learning could suffer.
There are also fears that there aren't enough casual relief teachers to meet the demand, particularly in rural areas.
Berwick Lodge Primary School principal, Henry Grossek, said the four non-teaching days were “a ridiculous approach” to address workload issues for school staff.
“The majority of those workload issues emanate from compliance and accountability matters that the professional practice days will not address,” Grossek told The Educator.
“The unwelcome irony of this initiative is that it will create more work, not less, for principals who have to implement it. It will be a management nightmare.”
Grossek said the 160,000 additional days to fill per year will be “a monumental challenge” given that in the winter months casual replacement teacher agencies already have difficulty in meeting existing demand.
“The additional disruption to classroom practice can't enhance the learning environment for students, for whom their regular teacher is best placed to provide,” Grossek said.
“The four professional practice days will cost the government almost $240 million – hardly a great investment given the controversy surrounding its implementation and the fact that there are better ways of meeting staff workload issues and professional practice matters.”
Grossek said that the reintroduction of three to four whole school curriculum days would save the government the $240m to spend on better targeted initiatives in schools and enable the whole of staff to benefit from collaborating together.
“Alternatively, reduce compliance and accountability requirements that add very little proven value to student learning outcomes,” he said.
A spokesperson for the Victorian Education Department said the Schools Agreement "recognises that all teachers need to be provided with time and support to focus on delivering high quality teaching and learning for all students".
"From the commencement of the 2018 school year, each teacher is entitled to one day per term release from their scheduled duties (including teaching) to focus on the improved delivery of high quality teaching and learning," the spokesperson told The Educator.
"From the commencement of the 2018 school year, each teacher is entitled to one day per term release from their scheduled duties (including teaching) to focus on the improved delivery of high quality teaching and learning."
The spokesperson said this will provide "opportunities for teachers to deepen the quality of their teaching and learning practice, delivering benefits for students across the entire Victorian school system".
"The Department is working closely with school leaders and teachers to ensure that student learning is enhanced through these new opportunities for the teaching profession," the spokesperson said.
"This flexibility in professional practice days enables teachers and principals to work together to determine an approach that best suits the needs of students and the school community."
The spokesperson added that this will provide opportunities for teachers to deepen the quality of their teaching and learning practice, delivering benefits for students "across the entire Victorian school system".
"The Department is working closely with school leaders and teachers to ensure that student learning is enhanced through these new opportunities for the teaching profession," the spokesperson said.
"This flexibility in professional practice days enables teachers and principals to work together to determine an approach that best suits the needs of students and the school community."
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